Freebie Fridays #65 - Handdrawn Feather Clipart

It's feathers again this week. I seem to have a thing for feathers lately. Every time I go outside for a walk or to run errands I find bird feathers on my path. Some people think that these feathers represent a spiritual message of some sorts. And I am one of those people ;-) If you are interested in this subject you can google 'finding feathers on your path'. There is more than one explanation for this and the message seems to depend on the color of feather and if you find it on the left or the right side of your body. I haven't found out yet what they mean exactly for me personal, but finding the feathers became so obvious that I couldn't ignore it any longer.

Using Google+ to grow your Blogger blog audience

If your blog is hosted on the Blogger platform you have a Google account, because without a Google account you are not able to open a blog on Blogger. I bet you knew that. But did you know that you can expand your Google account with a Google+ profile and use it to grow your blog's audience? Well, in the very beginning of my blogging journey I didn't and I am happy I know now!

How the Blogger subscription options work

As a designer of Blogger blogs, clients often think I know all the ins and outs of Blogger, and while I have come a long way since starting out myself as a blogger I still have a lot to learn. It is one of the reasons that I currently only design Blogger blogs. The work involves so much more than only making the designs. Clients also want to know how the Blogger platform works and how they can get the best out of it for their blogs. And I really want that to be a part of my service as well. But it is also the part where I am still learning myself. Google and Blogger are huge platforms, with lots of options, and it takes time to explore and understand them all. But while I am doing that I love to share what I have learned so far!

Freebie Fridays #64 - Social Watercolor Dots

Let's keep the intro short this week. I know a lot of my blog readers prefer blog related freebies. So this week I am sharing a set of black watercolor social media dots for blogs and websites.

Why small business owners can benefit from having a blog

Are you a small business owner always looking to grow your platform and clientele? In this age and era you will probably have a website or a web shop. But do you keep a blog as well? No? Then this post is written especially for you!

How to create a watermark for blog post images

Since helping out clients with their blog designs I have gotten this particular question more than once: 'How can I create a watermark on my blog post images?'. You have probably come across a lot of blogs that put either their blog name, their blog URL or a logo on their blog post images. Often in one of the corners of the image.

Freebie Fridays #63 - Autumn Labels

Just another two weeks and it's Halloween again. Here in the Netherlands it is not celebrated as big as in the US, but we are slowly getting there. With TV and commercials the Dutch kids get introduced to this freaky night and they want to celebrate too! My youngest will be celebrating Halloween in a theme park with her friend where they have a fright night. I bet there will be some candy involved as well.

Designing your blog - start with a style guide

Whether you are just starting a new blog or you are thinking about a blog makeover it can be pretty damn hard to select a color and font style for your blog. But it is critical for the end result that you really set a specific color palette and font style for the layout. Being consistent in your use of colors, illustrations and font styles throughout your blog layout will give it a professional look and will even keep your readers on your blog for longer. We all have come across blogs that are all over the place style wise. The blogger uses all colors of the rainbow and a new font style in almost every new line of text. This often creates a very messy look and while the blog content might be worth reading, these layouts often scare me away immediately. Just because the great stories are hard to read with all this stuff going on.

A new look & rebrand

Hi dear readers! I am so excited to present you the new look and logo for The Dutch Lady Designs! I've put many, many hours into thinking about it and eventually creating it. Sometimes it's just time for a brand and website to take it one step further and invest in a more professional look that still reflects the personality of the company and the person behind it.

Freebie Fridays #62 - Floral Blog Header Banners

And again we have come to the end of yet another work week... That means it's time to share another freebie. This time in the form of blog header images.

These headers are actually floral banners to which you can add your own blog title. The images are placed on a transparent background that is 1000 x 300 pixels. That is a size that will fit the average blog header area when you upload it. 

Autumn Sale on Premade Blogger Templates

Now that the days in the Northern hemisphere get shorter and colder, it's time to bundle up at home reading inspiring blogs or writing great posts yourself! It seems that for me personally Autumn and Winter are most ideal for writing. I'm less distracted by beautiful weather and an open back door and inspiration often comes a little easier.

Freebie Fridays #61 - Another free Blogger template

Since I haven't been spending a lot of time on the blog this week I thought I would make it up by sharing the third free Blogger template with you all.

I have been working on updating some of my Premade Blogger Templates in the shop this week and got into the swing of things. So why not create a freebie template as well? And here it is!